Gate.



No. 814,103. PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906.

R..G. WESSELS. I

GATE.

APPLICATION FILED rma. ze. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHBET l.

No. 814,103. PATENTBD MAR..6, 1906.

- R. o. WESSELS.

GATE.

APPLIGATION FILED rnngze. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHBB'B-2.

ff jg 2.

RUDOLF C. WESSELS, OF COTATI, CALIFORNIA.

GATE.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, 1906.

Application filed February 28. 1905. Serial No. 247,719.

To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, RUDOLF C. WEssELs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cotati, in the county of Sonoma and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in farm-gates, and embodies, primarily, a novel mechanism for opening and closing the gate.

The opening and closing mechanism above mentioned is of a form which admits of operation of the gate by persons traveling in vehicles without necessitating stepping out of the vehicle, suitable means being provided for this purpose.

An essential feature of the invention resides in the peculiar mounting of the gate, which is of the horizontally-swinging type, whereby the members by which it is journaled to the usual supporting-post may be thrown from the perpendicular, so that the gate will have a' gravity closing and gravity opening movement when being operated by a passer-by.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a far -gate embodying the essential features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view, the gate being shown closed. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the gate being open, the change in the relative positions of the parts being clearly indicated.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters. j

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the gate, and it will be understood that the same may be of any suitable ap-l.

proved construction. The gate 1 is pivoted to a gate-post 2 for horizontal swinging movement and is peculiarly mounted upon the post 2. To secure the gate 1 to the post 2, a suitmeans of suitable connections able pintle member 3 is provided, which projects from the lower portion of the post, cooperating with a suitable pintle member 4, carried by the gate 1. Projecting from the upper portion of the post 2 is a bracket 5 of somewhat U form, the sides of the bracket being secured to said post in any substantial way. The bracket 5 is provided with a Hat horizontal bar 6, which connects the sides thereof, and upon this portion of the bracket is pivoted an actuating-bar 7, which is carried by the bar 6 of the bracket 5, as above mentioned, and is pivoted at a point between its ends to the part 6, the point of pivotal attachment being indicated at 8. At one side of the pivot 8 of the actuating-bar 7 said bar is provided with a bearing 9, which receives a journal member 10, which is carried by the upper rear portion of the gate 1.

It will be seen that pivotal movement of the bar 7 will shift the bearing of the upper journal member 10 of the gate, and such actuation of this member-will impart a tilting movement to the gate as well as throw the journals thereof out of the perpendicular, whereupon the gate will gravitate in opening and closing. The journal member 10, which is mounted in the bar 7, operates in an arcuate path within the bracket 5 between the sides thereof and is limited in its movement by said bracket.

The gate 1 is held closed by means of a latch-bar 11 carried thereby, which coperates with a catch 12 upon a latch-post 13 of a form commonly employed. It is designed that the gate shall be positively held in open position by means of an auxiliary latch-post 14, and the latch-bar 11 coperates with a suitable catch upon the auxiliary latch-post in order to position the gate when open.

Upon opposite sides of the gate 1 and some distance therefrom are located supportingposts 15, upon the upper ends of which yare mounted operating-levers 16. The operating-levers 16 are pivoted between their ends to the posts 15, as shown at 17, and each of said levers 16 is connected at points upon opposite sides of the pivots 17 with opposite end portions of the actuating bar 7 by 18, which may be rods, cords, or the like. The connections 18 of one operating lever cross in order that the actuation of this lever may produce a reverse movement as regards the operation of the other lever.

In its actual operation as a passer-byvap- IOO IOS

IIO

proaches the lgate from one side thereof, either on foot or in a vehicle, he grasps the near lever 16 'and by pivotal movement thereof actuates bar 7, shifting the bearing of the ournal member 10 from the perpendicular, which causes the outer end of the gate to gravitate so that the said gate will open toward the auxiliary latch-post 14, the latchbar 11 engaging the catch upon its auxiliary latch post, as before described. Having passed through the gate, the passer-by actuates the lever 16 upon this side of the gate and by so doing throws the actuating-bar 7 into its original position, again shifting the bearing 9 of the pintle member 10, causing the gate to close in a manner which will be obvious. The arrangement of the parts and the general operation of the device are very simple and at the same time very substantial, so as to produce a gate and operating mechanism therefor of great durability and possessing important advantages. The bearing 9, which receives the pintle member 10, is provided in a lug 19, which projects laterally from the bar 7 between the pivot 8 thereof and an end portion.

It will be understood that the initial movement of the bar 7 in either direction in shifting the bearing of the member 10 tilts the gate, so as to elevate the outer end thereof and disengage the latch-bar 14 from the latch-post with which it is cooperating.

The bracket 5 is approximately of U form, the spaced arms or side members thereof being deflected between their extremities to cause the ends projected from the post to incline away from the plane of the gate When closed to give ample clearance for the upper end of the axis 9 of the gate when shifted laterally preliminary to the automatic opening of the gate.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new is- In combination, an automatic gravity opening and closing gate, gate and latch posts, means pivotally connecting the lower end of the gate to its supporting-post, a substantially U-shaped bracket attached to opposite sides of the gate-post and having the outer ends of its side members inclined in the same direction away from the plane of the gate when closed, an actuating-bar pivoted between its ends to the bar joining the outer ends of the members of the said bracket and having a bearing near its inner end, .a bearing projected from the gate through the space inclosed by the said bracket and mounted in the bearing provided in the said actuatingbar, operating-levers at opposite sides of the gate, means connecting each operating-lever at opposite sides of its pivot with opposite ends of the actuating-bar to swing it in opposite directions, and latch means for holding the gate either open or closed and released when the gate is tilted prior to opening or closing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

RUDOLF C. WESSELS. Witnesses:

LEwrs HERBERT, J. R. WILLIAMS. 

